How the Hunger Games Should Have Ended
by SydneyKatherineSage
Summary: Pairing: Peeta/Katniss, Gale/ Madge, Prim/ Rory Spoilers: Spoils all 3 books Word Count:2454 Summary: This is from Chapter 25 onwards but with my own changes. SPOILER What happens to Prim after the explosion? Will Gale ever talk to Katniss again?


Chapter 1- The Explosion:

"Prim, why are you here? Go home!" Boom! A loud explosion goes off and an impenetrable force flings me over the barricades and I land amidst a crowd of people. I watch as a parachute flies towards us, through the chilly air. A fire mutt, which was attached to the parachute, runs towards us, licking its' lips in anticipation; hungry for fresh flesh. It leaps towards me and attacks my body. My whole body aches but I fight it with the aid of one thought: Prim.

The mutt transforms me from a shimmering mockingjay into agonising flames. I fall into a dark hole filled with no hope. A light shimmers, something is shaking my body. Suddenly the pain is extinguished... I hesitantly open my eyes... a shiver runs over my body and I splutter. Snow covers my body. I haul myself up and suddenly cry out in pain. My ankle protests under pressure but I ignore it, I limp around calling out for Prim.

I spot a large pile of building rubble and dread what I might find. I limp over; desperation giving me the strength and stamina to fly with a broken wing.

A small arm pokes out from the pile and fear churns in the pit of my stomach. I begin digging with such ferocity; throwing rocks over my shoulder without bothering to check if anyone's behind me.

I gasp as I finally recover the rest of her body. She's covered in burns and bruises; a bone pokes out of her leg and crimson blood gushes out of the wound to cover the ground, which the snow quickly soaks up. I lay my cheek over her mouth and observe her chest. I feel soft, off-beat gusts against my cheek and I watch as her chest raggedly jumps up and down. Comforted, she's still alive, I address the other issue: her broken leg. The only appropriate material I can give her is my sock, which is only just large enough to wrap around her leg and tie up. I use the sock of my good foot, to bandage her wound. My sockless foot, stings in the cold air but I repress the pain and quickly shove my boot back on. The sock-bandage soaks up the blood, and I can see it will be a good temporary bandage, however I question its' endurance. She needs real medical attention quick.

I glance in the general direction of where I last saw the hovercraft and sigh aloud in relief that it's still where it was. I scrutinise the tiny, white figures scattered through the crowd attending to the wounded. I squeeze Prims' hand and gently kiss her forehead, "You'll be alright," I promise her still body.

I sprint over to the medics, despite the searing pain in my ankle and my other foot which blisters in my boot, without the sock. It feels like a thousand years before I arrive at the hovercraft. Breathless, I point at the rubble and mouth 'help.' A medic, clad in the same white cloak Prim wore, nods. "How many?" He asks. I hold one finger up. He motions to other medics for a stretcher and some water. A group of them leave in her direction, I try to follow but I collapse before I even take a step.

Darkness swallows me but this time I dive into it. I float in a gentle, rocking sea... someone carries me into the hovercraft. Thoughts swirl through the ocean that is my mind, like sharks. Taunting me, asking me, 'how did a young girl such as Prim end up on the front line?' Sure, she probably wanted to go but I couldn't imagine mum would have approved it when she barely allowed me to come here; which means, someone else, someone high up in the hierarchy approved Prim to come here.

Then there was the other issue; a mine. The explosion was too similar to what Gale and Beetee designed; a bomb that targets defenceless people and then a second bomb to attack their support. A chilly wave hits me... What if? I don't think Coin would harm either children or her own people, but what if we had an infiltrator... someone who was high enough in ranking to know of the design and to carry it out without seeking permission from anyone. Plutchard. As a game-maker, he wouldn't have second thoughts about harming the lives of the defenceless; and also he is from the Capitol. He could be a double agent.

I clench my fist in anger. Is Prim okay?

I feel a pinch in my arm and seconds later I'm drifting into a deep slumber... the kind I dread. Strangely, I don't have my usual nightmares, re-living previous Hunger Games I've been a contester in. Instead, my previous nightmares are replaced by a nightmare where there is a pile of dead, children's' bodies. The bodies are covered in burns, scars and fire mutts; and each child's lifeless hand holds a white rose. At the top of the pile is Rue and Prim, holding hands, wearing diamond crowns, about to be consumed by the king of fire mutts.

I wake up feeling nauseous. I yearn for Peeta to come and comfort me while I sleep, but I know he will never do that for me again. I lay here, in my bed, for about a week, refusing to eat, shower or talk until I know how Prim is. Finally, one day, Gale visits.

"Is Prim alive?" I ask, anxiously. He nods grimly. "Is she okay?" I persist. This time he doesn't answer. "I need to see her!"

"Okay."

It's so quiet between us. I have one more question. A question that's been bugging me every day for the past week. Gale already knows what it is; it's been bugging him too. I know this because I know him so well; and I recognise the way he can't meet me in the eyes, I know this from the awkward silence radiating between us.

"Was it yours?" I whisper.

He takes my hand. "I don't know." He leans forward to kiss my cheek.

"No gale." A tear streams down my face. "I need time to think."

He stands up suddenly and leaves. I cry, thinking about how heartbroken I've left both Gale and Peeta and how horrible I am for playing them... even if I haven't mean to.

I ignore the growling complaints of my stomach, protesting for food and nutrition. I ignore the searing pain where new skin is growing in place of the burns. While I was out the doctors had performed surgery on the worst burns. I've been told I'm lucky, my face didn't get burnt, I still have my vision, and I didn't need plastic surgery anywhere.

Every day, a tray is brought to my room, containing the plain soup from District 13, fresh Capitol water, ointment for my burns, and some morphling tablets to help ease the pain. I only ever take the latter. The morphling tablets, make me too dozy to think clearly, which helps me forget about Peeta and Gale, Prim and Rue, Cinna... and everyone else who had been hurt because of me. Normally Soldier Gribble brought in my tray; I always anticipated this when I heard the clock strike twelve, as she was a good gossip and kept me up to date without me even having to open my mouth. However, today mum walked in carrying the tray.

"Eat," she commands.

"I'm not hungry."

"As you wish," she says, and pushes the tray even closer towards me, as if the aroma of the soup would entice me to eat it.

I take the tablets and swallow them without the water. Everything becomes blurry just as I expected and I actually smile. "When will you visit Prim?" Mum asks. She sounds disappointed. I was disappointed when she completely closed off the world when dad died, leaving me to fend for our family, but I don't mention that now.

"How bad is it?" I whisper softly, remembering her battered body, crushed by the rubble; the burns covering the entirety of her body; her broken leg with the bone sticking out and blooding gushing from the wound like a river. I silently pray she hasn't developed an infection.

"They had to perform plastic surgery on parts of her body, but apart from that she'll be fine. They're still unsure if her leg will need amputation but if it does, she'll just get a biotic leg like Peeta's. She hit her head pretty bad, too, but it's nothing the doctor's can't handle, I'm sure." I observe mum intensely as she says this. I feel slight distrust at her words. I don't think she can handle it, I don't think she truly believes Prim will be okay. She didn't handle dad. I think of the attachment mum and Prim developed while I was gone in the Hunger Games; it would affect mum so much worse if anything happened to Prim than how dad's death effected her.

"I think I want to visit her now." I sit up and immediately regret it. My head spins and I dry retch.

"You really do need to eat, Katniss." Mum says, shoving the tray towards me. I groan but pick up my spoon. For a few minutes, I just spin the spoon around inside the soup, and watch it as if it's something amusing. I feel shame at my weakness. I finally take a sip of the soup. The dull taste of the soup burns the inside of my throat. I wince but I force out the courage to continue eating this grudge. I finally flush out the wretched taste with water.

I shove off the hospital sheets. I dress myself and mum quickly combs my hair. I soon find out we're not in a hospital, but we're in the presidents mansion. I limp down the hall but I stop suddenly when we're about halfway down the hall. "Katniss, she's down there..." Mum says, pointing down an adjacent hall. My throat closes up and I gasp for air. "Mmm... do you smell that, Katniss? Roses." I burst through the door on my left.

President Snow is chained to a chair with two soldiers on either side of him. They hold out a hand for me to stop, and one steps in front of Snow, protectively. "Katniss," mum says warningly, tugging my sleeve. I swipe her hand away. "Let me talk to him... Alone!" The guard standing in front of Snow shakes his head. "

She has full access to anything in this room" Paylor commands, stepping into the room. The soldiers leave the room, begrudgingly. Mum wavers, "Are you sure you'll be okay?" I nod. "I'll be waiting, with Prim," she whispers. She turns and leaves, closing the door behind her.

"I didn't know you were in charge here." I say, addressing Paylor.

"I'm second in command," he winks. He waves goodbye, and steps back out of the room.

I watch the door close, curiously, but then, finally, cut my gaze back to Snow.

"Why are they keeping you alive?" I ask aloud.

"Haven't you heard? You're to execute me. I was publically trialled and found guilty. Their precious Mockingjay must finish what she started by killing the leader, me." He snorts.

"What's so funny?"

"A small girl, from District 12, defied the Capitol by threatening to suicide using grapes, now look at what she is... a complete mess. You've only come this far because luck's on your side, but what do you think will happen when I'm dead?"

"When you're dead, we will finally have peace after seventy-six years. No more defenceless children will have to be murdered for entertainment, no one has to die for no reason anymore."

"Who was murdered for entertainment?" He asks, snidely.

"Everyone who was ever in a Hunger Games and those kids outside with the parachutes."

"The Hunger Games were punishment for uprising against the Capitol, it wasn't entertaining." He pauses to gauge my reaction, but I keep a poker face and he continues, "and the packages weren't from me, they were Coin's. I wouldn't waste lives in that way. Especially the children of Capitol residents. Coin did it to turn what small amount of people still followed me, against me. Unfortunately, it was quite effective, too."

"I don't understand... how could Coin use one of the Capitol hovercrafts?"

"Easy... she'd already capture the Capitol."

I wasn't sure if I believed him. I couldn't entirely understand her motives to kill children. District 13 had a shortage of kids because of an influenza that swept through leaving many of its' citizens infertile. I couldn't imagine Coin would waste this kind of opportunity. But then again, she did lust power...

I can't stand this anymore. I storm out of the room, making a point to slam the door behind me. I crumple to the floor in tears. I swat away the overwhelming stench of roses, like they're a fly buzzing around my ears that I just want to leave me alone.

I huff aloud, thinking of Prim and how I need to see that she really is alright. I pull myself up, using the wall for support, and limp awkwardly down the hall. She's staying in room 309 which is the same number as the compartment we originally stayed in at District 13. This couldn't be a coincidence. I turn the knob and push the door open, hesitantly.

"Prim?"

"Katniss!" She beams excitedly.

"Prim! Oh, I thought you were going to die!"

I act strong, and hold back the tears when I see her. I don't think weakness would help her. She would feel better knowing I am happy. Her skin is completely contorted from the burns, however her face is put back in shape from the plastic surgery. Stitches mark the places the surgeons cut using their surgical knives. Her beautiful, blonde locks are seared in places, making her hair look strange.

"Why didn't you visit me sooner?" She asks. This stumps me. How do I answer this?

I think for a second but then answer truthfully. "I've been confined to bed, I'm really sorry Prim, I should have come sooner." I notice mum frown at me from the corner of the room... I hadn't noticed her presence before now.

"Are you okay?" She asks. Serious now.

I smile, "Of course I am."

"Are you sure?"

My smile widens, "Yes, Prim. I'll always be happy as long as you're here."

She smiles, too. "Same, Katniss."

"I love you, Prim." I say, hugging her tightly, resting my head on hers and letting one single tear roll down my cheek.


End file.
